Bruce Ratner, whose group was awarded the right to renovate and operate Nassau Coliseum, said Friday he expects the Sound Tigers to move to Long Island after their parent New York Islanders leave for the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan reiterated what he's usually said, that he's got a deal with the city of Bridgeport to put a team in Webster Bank Arena through 2021.

"We have a contractual agreement with the City of Bridgeport to put a hockey team in here," Saffan said. "We absolutely do not have any agreement in place (to move the Sound Tigers). Our owner (Charles Wang) has not executed any agreement with Barclays (Ratner's group also operates that building)."

Any move would be contingent on the Ratner group and Nassau County gaining the necessary political approvals for the deal.

"Any such move would be subject to a deal being finalized, and as of right now, there is no completed deal," an Islanders spokesman said.

The Islanders reportedly won't move to Brooklyn until 2015, completing their lease at Nassau Coliseum; there had been speculation that they could go to Brooklyn a year early. And then the renovation of the property begins; it's unclear how quickly it could be ready.

If Islanders owner Wang does eventually cut a deal to put the Sound Tigers on the Island?

"We'll explore all our avenues to put an AHL team in this building," Saffan said.

Which avenues are available could depend on just when a replacement would be needed. The other local NHL franchises have their affiliates nearby, the Devils in Albany, N.Y., and the Rangers in Hartford. Albany has two years left on a five-year deal, while the Rangers are beginning a three-year lease at the XL Center.